Head gasket job in my future. Any tips?

[Echo30V]

Don’t listen to the haters. They are phenomenal little cars. At this point you bonded with the car...save it. Yes, they can be a PIA, but when you solve the riddles and get behind the wheel, they are a joy. I like my little Verty30 almost, and I mean almost, as much as my 997.2. Some say you shouldn’t even but the e30 in the same sentence as the Porsche but when the e30 is right it’s right.

[Kershaw]

Use mechanic's wire to compress the spring on the "bitch tube" that goes from the crank case to the intake manifold. Stack spring, washer, then o-ring top to bottom, then wrap wire on spring to keep depressed, shove it in the block (spring completely stacked), install top o-ring. This will keep the tube low enough to install/remove the manifold/top end, then cut the wire and the tube will pop up and seal at the manifold. If you forget the tube, it will not go on after the head is seated unless you remove some material from the bottom, or remove the intake from the head.

I've always used a small zip tie, easier to ratchet tight than to twist wire tight imo.

[e30davie]

I'm so sick of reading about this "bitch tube". There's nothing to it. And yes it can go on with the head and inlet manifold on. Here is a photo of me doing it.

[ForcedFirebird]

I'm so sick of reading about this "bitch tube". There's nothing to it. And yes it can go on with the head and inlet manifold on. Here is a photo of me doing it.

By all means, go remove it with the intake bolted down, and show us how we all have been doing it wrong for all these years. lol

It can't be done unless the bottom of the tube was shortened. When you push the tube down in the block far enough to clear the upper o-ring seat, the tube is too far in the block to angle it for removal (maybe with some forceful bending??). If you use a plumbing pipe cutter and remove a little material at the bottom, the cutter will put a slight curve on the end of the pipe, and it will come out. I've had mechanics forget to put them in while working here at the shop, and cutting the tube is the only way to avoid unbolting the intake.

[Echo30V]

Indeed Forced, I just did this. I had oil leaking from this storied Tube. I had to take the entire intake manifold off. When I replaced the BitchTube I zip tied it like e30Davie and in it went. Do not see the top washer in e30Davie's picture?

[ForcedFirebird]

No top washer. The o-ring land will ride directly on the o-ring. The bottom needs the washer so the bottom of the spring doesn't booger the o-ring.

[e30davie]

Well whatever. Got mine in no worries and it wasn't cut. If it went in that means it will come out.

I've driven away from mechanics with wheels not done up tight so I dont have much faith in mechanics.

[apostate]

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[2mAn]

Its been almost a week OP whats going on?

[Kershaw]

I'm so sick of reading about this "bitch tube". There's nothing to it. And yes it can go on with the head and inlet manifold on. Here is a photo of me doing it.

How does this prove anything? You zip tied it down and bolted in the manifold. That's what everyone does. Show me a video of you removing it with the intake in place. The bottom is too long, it has to be, otherwise it wouldn't reach from side to the other.

[e30davie]

Nah I installed manifold and then installed the tube thing. Seems quite a few ppl across the internet have done the same.

Meh mine has all new orings and gaskets I dont intend on removing it ever again.

[ForcedFirebird]

^^your pic is misleading. The manifold has no nuts on it.

[faber]

^^your pic is misleading. The manifold has no nuts on it.

It is obviously a female intake manifold... :P

So I dropped the head off to my machinist, and he skimmed it for me. even though the head was flat within spec it had a dented corner (from the shitty packing and shipping job) that ended up breaking off. So he welded it up and it is ready to go on the car. I am gonna pop some new seals on it, lap the valves and polish the chambers up before I throw it on the car. Decided against yanking the bottom end out though. It is more work than I really want to put into this car and for likely minimal return. I figure with a basically brand new head she should be good to go for quite a while. I will post a bunch of pics when I get started on the work.

Thanks again for all the great tips!!!

[apostate]

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[faber]

I am amazed you did not pressure test this head prior to doing anything else.

Glad you didn't watch me tear this thing down...you would have been amazed at a lot of stuff.